Making the most of your team’s combined talents 

Don’t forget to leverage team skills through processes

Zhike Lei:

Patrick’s astute observation regarding team composition really resonates with me. In my line of research studying team dynamics, the IPO model – which, by the way, has nothing to do with finance – serves as a guiding framework. IPO stands for Input, Process, and Outcome – the three main parts of this model. In this sense, Patrick’s insights address the big “I” of team diversity and talent.

Here, I aim to advance the discussion to the subsequent pivotal component of the model – the “P” for process. Ideally, we aspire to curate the optimal blend of talent within a team, but practical constraints frequently render this endeavor challenging. So, the emphasis on team processes may take on added importance. We want to train the team to become better at relating to each other and collaborating through a synergetic process.

The good news is that recent team research is advancing our understanding of effective processes. Usually, we need to focus on three types of team processes. First, teams need to establish task processes through which team members’ work roles and responsibilities are defined, clarified, and agreed upon. Second, a significant portion of team endeavors are dedicated to nurturing relationships and adeptly managing interpersonal conflicts. These are what we refer to as relational processes. Among these, fostering psychological safety emerges as a cornerstone for team performance. This perspective has been underscored by findings from Google’s Project Aristotle and by my joint work with Amy Edmondson on psychological safety.

Teamwork inherently involves emotional labor. Recall the last instance when a conflict between two team members escalated; emotions invariably took center stage. If managing teams were purely rational, managers would have it easy. Therefore, high-performing teams often excel in the third type of team processes – emotional processes. Emerging research delves into the phenomenon of emotional contagion, offering some promising insights. For instance, leaders are encouraged to cultivate and sustain a positive team climate with rapport, inclusion, hope, and other positive emotions.

Together with psychological safety and contagious positivity, we need to go a step further and remember to emphasize accountability. “Psychological safety” does not guarantee everything else magically falls into place. Leaders have to hold team members accountable for achieving and staying focused on outcomes – the “O” of IPO. This means performing, learning, adapting, and innovating.